Assistance with Eating

Nutrition and Ageing

As it is in any stage in life eating a balanced and healthy diet is important. As we age eating a diet high in nutrients and low in calories is even more important, this is due to less activity and the body’s ability to absorb nutrients and to utilise them.

It is recommended that as we age we eat more calcium, fiber, iron, protein, vitamins A, C and folacin.

Malnutrition and Dehydration

As we age medications, illness, a change in our body’s senses and even living alone can change our desire to eat or make wholesome meals. This can lead to poor diet, loss of weight, malnutrition and dehydration.

For self care reasons it is important to understand how ageing can affect our senses. Ageing reduces your sense of smell and taste, in some cases your once favourite food may even become unappealing. Ageing also decreases the body’s ability to monitor thirst and you may not get feelings of being thirsty as you would have when you were younger.

If you are a family member or caring for someone checking that they are regularly eating balanced nutrient rich meals is important. This at times can be a challenge and you need to take a balanced approach to this and remember what the aim is – Quality of life and well-being. Sometimes trying to convert a lifelong bread eater into a diet without bread at age 85 may not make them happy or add to their quality of life and well-being. So instead to provide a piece of fruit with the sandwich may be the answer.

Assisting with Feeding

Before assisting someone with eating, think about why they need assistance. Is it that:

• The food isn’t appealing
• That they need better utensils in order to be able to do it themselves?
• Due to feeling sick or in pain
• Poor fitting dentures
• Seating positions

Some of the above you may be able to remedy in other ways enabling the older person to retain their independence.

Please remember, if someone doesn’t want to eat you cannot force or make them. This would take away their rights and dignity and is a form of abuse. If you are concerned that the person you are caring for isn’t eating please see your doctor immediately.

If they do need help and encouragement and equipment will not assist them, you will need to assist with feeding the process below.

Before starting you need to ensure

• Ensure you have washed your hands
• Check they are comfortable, have been to the toilet, washed hands etc
• Check they are seated in a upright position
• Ask what they want to eat first
• Deliver the food slowly and in small amounts, let them set the pace
• Use thickener with liquids- if required
• Use a plastic spoon if they have trouble opening their mouth
• Don’t mix foods together (unless asked)
• When the meal is over, provide a cloth to wipe their face (assist if needed)
• Wash your hands

Swallowing problems

If the person your caring for is having problems swallowing they are at risk of aspiration. An aspiration is when food or fluid is inhaled instead of being swallowed. Aspirations can cause problems such as pneumonia and chest infections.

Warning signs:

• Food remaining on the tongue after swallowing
• Pocketing of food on side of mouth
• Excessive drooling
• Coughing or choking while eating or drinking
• Gargle-sounding voice after eating or drinking

If this occurs, see your doctor and get it seen to as they may require changes to their food consistency for safety reasons.